Phil Jones wasn’t a player for losing his cool. Making an appearance on a recent podcast, the former Manchester United defender revealed the only time he lost his head in the dressing room.
Jones battled throughout his career after showing great promise in the heart of United’s defence, along with Chris Smalling. The retired defender made an unexpected return to the starting eleven against Liverpool in April 2022 after being stuck to the treatment room for nearly two years with injuries.
The trip to Anfield didn’t go as Ralf Rangnick planned and United were 2-0 behind at half-time, leading the German interim boss to haul off Jones at the break.
Jones, 32, has finally shared the moment he felt wronged by his former manager and couldn’t hold back his emotions.
“I’ve never lost my head in a dressing room and I’ve never been emotional enough to lose myself in the dressing room, and I think that’s the only time in my career that I completely lost it,” he said on the High Performance Podcast.
“I was absolutely raging. Raging. That he humiliated me. Humiliated me in front of an Anfield crowd first and foremost, fearsome rivals, and the fans and my family and the players. We were 2-0 down at half-time, weren’t great, I don’t think we had a shot on target first half. Nothing was coming off. And I’d actually done alright in the game.”
Jones went on to admit that he wasn’t one of the best performances, but I think that is beside the point he is making. What was Rangnick thinking throwing a player who has been out for two years in the heart of defence against Liverpool?
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